Apparatus for forming sheet metal treating packs



D 1965 M. R. COMMANDAY ETAL 3,223,343

APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHEET METAL TREATING PACKS Filed Oct. 29, 1962 2Sheets-Sheet l I I Go L i. f Move/CE R. 6OMMOA/DHY Z clivcos 2. 60405596I INVENTORS.

D 14, 1965 M. R. COMMANDAY ETAL 3,223,343

APPARATUS FOR FORMING SHEET METAL TREATING PACKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledOct. 29, 1962 M90210; 1?. 60MM/7NOQV (Incas Z. GOLDBERG INVENTOR5.

flrroEuEYS- United States Patent 3,223,343 APPARATUS FQR FORMING SHEETMETAL TREATING PACKS Maurice R. Commanday, Los Angeles, and Jacob Z.Goldberg, Fallbrook, Calif, assignors to Chromizing Corporation,Hawthorne, Caliii, a corporation of California Filed Oct. 29, 1962, Ser.No. 233,556 11 Claims. (Cl. 242-781) This invention has to do withapparatus for incorporating comminuted solid materials in convolutelywound sheet metal packs adapted to be heated for surface treatment ofthe sheet stock by the comminuted material distributed and retainedbetween the pack convolutions.

The invention has been conceived typically as apparatus for producing aroll pack of ferrous or non-ferrous sheet metal, for surfacemodification by diffusion into the metal surface of one or morecomponents of a pulverulent treating composition, being the aforesaidcomminuted solid materials, for any of various purposes such as toincrease the resistance of the metal to oxidation, corrosion or surfaceattacks in general, and particularly under high temperature oxidizingconditions. Generally speaking, the art of diffusing one or more metalsinto the surface of another, e.g. the chromizing of ferrous metals, iswell known and has been practiced mainly by heating plural pieces orsheets of the metal in contact with .pulverulent treating mixtures.

The method concepts of departing from the conventional practices byincorporating the treating material in and between the convolutions of aunitized roll pack, are dealt with in a copending application, SerialNo. 781,824 filed October 27, 1958, now Patent No. 3,163,553. Ourpresent objects are directed to apparatus for use in efiicientlyperforming that and physically similar methods.

In accordance with the invention, provision is made for winding sheetmetal stock onto a mandrel and forming at the sheet approach to themandrel a throat defined by the outer convolution on the mandrel and theadjacent unwound sheet. The comminuted treating material is fed to thethroat at a controlled rate determined primarily by the quantity, orthickness, of the material layer, required for treatment of the metalsurface, all in a manner such that progressively with winding on themandrel, the treating material is distributed uniformly and continuouslybetween the roll convolutions. Upon completion, the composite roll maybe suitably bound for heating in a furnace.

A particular object of the invention is to provide for both compactionand retention of the inter-convolute material simply and effectively asa consequence of winding control of the metal sheet. For this purpose weprovide resistance to advancement of the sheet under the winding pull ofthe mandrel, so that the treating material becomes tightly compacted inthe wound roll, benefiting both uniformity of distribution and retentionbetween the convolutions.

Another important feature of the invention is provision for asubstantially constant relation between the pulverulent feed deliveryand the above mentioned throat which tends to shift with buildup on themandrel. For this purpose, the sheet stock is advanced over a guide,preferably in the form of a roll paralleling the mandrel in directproximity, and relatively shift the mandrel and guide to increase theirspacing as the wound roll accumulates, all in a manner retaining thedesired throat location. A further feature in this connection isprovision for yieldably resisting such mandrel and guide relativedisplacement, consistant with initiating compaction of the treatingmaterial advancing from the throat to between the wound convolutions.

Other features and objects have to do with assuring controlled uniformfeed of treating material to the throat in timed or quantitive relationwith the rate of sheet advancement or winding.

All of the above mentioned as well as additional features and objects ofthe invention will be more fully understood from the following detaileddescription of an illustrative apparatus shown by the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view showing typical roll winding and compound feedingmechanism in side elevation;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged view showing the compound feeder inrelation to the roll being wound;

FIG. 4 is a transverse view of the brake device taken on line 44 of FIG.3;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary enlargement of the roll being wound,illustrative of the compound delivery thereto and its accommodationbetween the roll convolutions; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective showing of the wound and bound roll.

First, it is to be understood that any suitable mechanism may beemployed for winding the sheet metal stock in convolute roll form, andfor feeding the compound between the convolutions in the manner outlinedin the foregoing. Accordingly, the apparatus. showings in the drawingsare to be regarded merely as illustrative of a suitable mechanical meansfor carrying out the present method and forming the resultant convolutewound pack.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the apparatus is shown to comprise aframe structure including a base 10, uprights 11 and 12 supportinghorizontal members 13, all in a manner such that a roll 14 of the sheetmetal to be treated is supported for rotation on the rollers 15 and hasits horizontal displacement limited between rolls 16 and 17. Framemember 12 together with horizontal members 117 support a supply hopper18 from which the comminuted compound 19 is delivered to the feeder,generally indicated at 20.

As it is drawn from the rotatably supported roll 14, the sheet metalstock 21 which typically may be a low carbon steel, passes through abraking device 22 and thence over a roll 23 carried by shaft 24 to bewound on an expanding type (radially collapsible) mandrel 2S projectingcentrally from a face plate or disc 126 having a shaft 26 journaled inbearings 27 mounted on oscillatory arms 28 which may be swung on shaft29.

Suitable provision is made to serve the dual functions of urging themandrel 25 and roll 23 together at substantially uniform pressure, andto permit such progressive displacement of mandrel 25 as willaccommodate the increasing diameter of the roll pack as it is beingwound. Typically such means may comprise an arm 60 projecting laterallyfrom one of the arms 28 and constantly urged upwardly as by piston 61having its rod pivotally connected at 62 to the arm, the cylinder 63having a pivotal mounting at 64 and being supplied with air underconstant pressure through line 65. The constantly applied force exertedby the piston swings arms 28 and mandrel 25 toward roll 23 to maintain aconstant pressure at their interface below the throat 47, the pistonhowever being displaceable downwardly within the cylinder to permit 2movement of roll 25 away from roll 23 in accordance with the progressiveincrease in diameter of the convolute pack as it is being wound.

The brake 22 is shown to comprise a pair of pressure pads 32 bearingagainst the sheet 21 passing between them, and confined between support33 and the head 34 of a press screw 35 extending through a stationarilysupported threaded sleeve 36 and rotatable by handle 37 to vary thebraking confinement applied to the strip 21 and therefore its resistanceto advancement. The brake is so adjusted as to tension the strip 21 inresistance to the winding null 3 of the mandrel 25, sufficiently toassure tracking and progressive compaction of the roll convolutionsagainst the filled-in treating compound.

Mandrel 25 is driven by a variable speed motor 38 through gear box 39,chain 40 applied to sprocket 41 on shaft 29, and chain 42 passing oversprockets 43 and 44 respectively on shafts 29 and 26. The speed of themotor is automatically regulated to maintain constant surface speed 'ofthestrip through the unit. The feeder is shown to comprise typically aroller 48 extending within the feeder housing 49 and carrying terminallyan external sprocket 50' driven by chain 51 from sprocket 52 on shaft24, roll 23 and sprocket 52 being turned by the frictional driveimparted by the sheet'21'. The comminuted compound 19 passes throughslot 53 in the bottom of the hopper 18, onto the roll 48 at a rategoverned by the rotative speed of the roll, which in turn is governed toassure deliveryof the compound into the throat 47 in a quantity raterequired foradequate filling-in between the roll pack convolutions.

The compound 19 is'introduced to the throat 37 and distributed acrosssubstantially'the width of the sheet 21, in quantity suflicient fortreatment of the contacting metal surfaces in the wound roll, thequantity of the compound and therefore the thickness of its layers at 55in the roll, being variable in accordance with such considerations asthe composition of the compound and the particular metals orcombinationsthereof involved in the diffusion process. The layerthickness at 55 maybe in the order of about 0.005 'to 0.20 inch. Upon completion of thestrip winding into the convolute roll 30, the latter may be tied and itsoutside convolutions held in the condition in which they are woundjbyany suitable means. Typically, the completed roll pack is shown in FIG.6 to be held against opening of its convolutions, by externally appliedmetal bands'56:

The roll pack thus formed may be heated in any appropriate furnace andin an inert or non-oxidizing atmosphere under temperature and timeconditions of the order commonly employed in the conventional diffusionprocesses. Generally, the temperature of heating will be maintainedwithin the range of about 1200 to 2000 F. over periods of from 4 to 24hours.

In further'reference to the treating compound 19, thelatter'typicallymay comprise a comminuted mixture of a refractory powderserving as a filler or diluent, a source of thetreating metal either inelemental or combined condition, and an energizer or halogen sourcecomprising one or more combined or elemental halogens. Suitablerefractory fillers include typically tabular calcined alumina,adsorptive alumina, magnesium oxide, calcined or uncalcined kaolin andany of the inert refractory oxides. The treating metal source mayconsist of the metal, e.g. chromium, in powdered form, or theferro-metal such as frrochrome, in powdered form. The energizer, inwhich the halide may be fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine or mixturesofthese, chemically may be combined halides such as the ammonium orlithium halides or the elemental halide as in the case of iodine, ormixtures of these. Such compositions and their use by conventionalmethods in metal surface conditioning, are well known to those familiarwith the art.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for incorporating comminuted material in a convolute rollpack, comprising (A) a winding mandrel,

(B) means for rotating the mandrel,

(C) means for supporting sheet metal extending to the mandrel to bewound thereon in convolute roll form by the rotation of the mandrel,

(D) means for feeding solid comminuted material into a throat formed atand by convergence of the sheet metal with the outer convolution of theroll, and

(E) means resisting winding advancement of the sheet extending to theroll so that said comminuted material is compacted for retention betweenthe roll convolutions.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said feeding means (D)operates to deliver the comminuted material to said throat inpredetermined quantity relation to advancement of said sheet.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2, in which said throat extendshorizontally and said feed means (D) comprises a metering rotor aboveand operating to deliver said material downwardly into the throat.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising also means for maintainingsaid throat in substantially constant position relative to the feedmeans (D) as the convolutions accumulate on the roll.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said resisting means (E)comprises a pressure pad urged against the sheet to impose frictionalresistance to its advancement.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising also means for operatingsaid material feeding means (D) in predetermined timed relation with theoperation of said mandrel rotating means (B).

7. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which said mandrel is horizontallypositioned, and comprising guide means deflecting the sheet metaldirectly at its approach to the mandrel to give essentially verticalV-shape to said throat.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1, comprising also a guide rollextending parallel with and peripherally adjacent the sheet being woundon the mandrel, the sheet passing over said guide roll to form one sideof said throat, and means whereby one of said mandrel and guide roll ismovable away from the other as the wound sheet accumulates on themandrel. 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, in which said supportingmeans (C) includes means rotatably supporting a wound stock roll of saidsheet metal for passage over said guide roll to the mandrel.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9, in which said resisting means (E) isinterposed between said stock roll and the guide roll.

11. Apparatus according to claim 8, in which the last mentioned meansincludes means for yieldably urging the mandrel toward the guide roll.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 778,049 12/1904Ladewig ll8--37 1,281,230 10/1918 Troy et al. 118-235 2,224,997 12/1940Weisse 24278.l

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR INCORPORATING COMMINUTED MATERIAL IN A CONVOLUTE ROLLPACK, COMPRISING (A) A WINDING MANDREL, (B) MEANS FOR ROTATING THEMANDREL, (C) MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SHEET METAL EXTENDING TO THE MANDRELTO BE WOUND THEREON IN CONVOLUTE ROLL FORM BY THE ROTATION OF THEMANDREL, (D) MEANS FOR FEEDING SOLID COMMINUTED MATERIAL INTO A THROATFORMED AT AND BY CONVERGENCE OF THE SHEET METAL WITH THE OUTERCONVOLUTION OF THE ROLL, AND